Data processing apparatus



May 26, 1964 H. M. ZEUTSCHEL 3,134,583

DATA PROCESSING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 23, 1960 16 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR. HEINZ M. ZEUTSCHEL May 26, 1964 H. M. ZEUTS CHEL DATAPROCESSIN APPARATUS l6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 23, 1960 INVENTOR.HEINZ M.ZEUTSCHEL May 26, 1964 H. M. ZEUTSCHEL DATA PROCESSING APPARATUS16 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 23, 1960 INVENTOR. HEINZ M. ZEUTSCHEL May26, 1964 H. M. ZEUTSCHEL 3, 34,

DATA PROCESSING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 23, 1960 16 Sheets-Sheet 4INVENTOR. HEINZ M. ZEUTSCHEL May 26, 1964 H. M. ZEUTSCHEL DATAPROCESSING APPARATUS 16 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 23, 1960 FIG. 8

INVENTOR. HEINZ M. ZEUTSCHEL y 1964 H. M. ZEUTSCHEL 3,134,588

DATA PROCESSING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 23, 1960 16 Sheets-Sheet 6 FIG. IO

INVENTOR. HEINZ M. ZEUTSCHEL May 26, 1964 H. M. ZEUTSCHEL 3,134,588

DATA PROCESSING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 23, 1960 16 Sheets-Sheet 7INVENTOR. HEINZ M. ZEUTSCHEL May 26, 1964 H. M. ZEUTSCHEL DATAPROCESSING APPARATUS l6 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Sept. 23, 1960 INVENTOR.HEINZ M. ZEUTSCHEL May 26, 1964 H. M. ZEUTSCHEL DATA PROCESSINGAPPARATUS l6 Sheets-Sheet. 9

Filed Sept. 23, 1960 INVENTOR. HEINZ M. ZEUTSCHEL BY May 26, 1964 H. M.ZEUTSCHEL DATA PROCESSING APPARATUS Fi led Sept. 23, 1960 16Sheets-Sheet 1O INVENTOR. HEINZ M. ZEUTSCHEL May 26, 1964 H. M.ZEUTSCHEL 3,134,588 DATA PROCESSING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 23, 1960 16Sheets-Sheet 11 FIG. I80

INVENTOR. H EINZ M. 'ZEUTSCHEL May 26, 1964 H. M. ZEUTSCHEL 3,134,588DATA PROCESSING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 23, 1960 16 Sheets-Sheet 12 m o286 mm 308 520 INVENTOR. HEINZ M. ZEUTSCHEL FIG. l8b

May 26, 1964 H. M. ZEUTSCHEL 3,

DATA PROCESSING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 23, 1960 16 Sheets-Sheet 13 F IINVENTOR.

HEINZ M. ZEUTSCHEL I Filed Sept. 23, 1960 M y 1964 H. M. ZEUTSCHEL 3,

DATA PROCESSING APPARATUS l6 Sheets-Sheet l4 FIG. [9

INVENTOR.

HEINZ M. ZEUTSCHEL Filed Sept. 23, 1960 16 Sheets-Sheet 16 5 61 5 I I lI I I I I I I on $6 3% NW Q6135. moEmfizou mmfi umm l mmnufiw Jw 2523:323658 -532 5255 ED:

Emu. 0.54 Nam 3n 59 52 29333 5535 INVENTOR. HEINZ M. ZEUTSCHEL BY WWUnited States Patent 3,134,538 DATA PROCESSING APPARATUS Heinz M.Zeutschel, West Newton, Mass, assignor to Itek Corporation, Waitharn,Mass, a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 23, 196i), Ser. No. 5833i 8Saints. Cl. 271-40) This invention relates to a data processing systemand more particularly to an improvement for a data processing system ofthe type having means for pneumatically transporting and/or segregatinga file of similar data *bearing'sheets, such as film chips, at arelatively high speed, whereby to facilitate locating and retrievingsheets having predetermined encoded information.

Heretofore, several different data processing systems have been devisedwhich employ jets or streams of air for rapidly removing and/ orsegregating successive data hearing sheets such as film chips from alarge storage pile so as to facilitate reading or reproduction of thedata recorded on the sheets. However, prior pneumatic systems generallyemployed jets or streams of air to perform a flipping rather than atransporting function. The general schemes of prior pneumatic dataprocessing devices embodied the idea of anchoring film chips to amovable support, such as a rotary drum or an elongated magazine orstock. The movable support carried the film chips past a sensing stagewhere a transducer was located to read a code carried by each chip.Cooperating with the movable support would be a jet or stream of airdirected at the stack of chips. The jet of air would be so arranged asto blow or flip each chip past the transducer or reading head. Ineffect, the air jets functioned to segregate each chip for a shortinterval of time from the remaining chips so that each chip could beindividually inspected by the transducer. Having detected a chip havinga desired code, additional means would be brought into play to stop thechip and to project its information onto a screen for viewing.

These prior schemes have certain limitations. First of all, in the caseof a rotating drum, the speed at which the chips moved past the sensinghead was such that a .chip having the desired information could not bestopped at the desired spot for viewing, but would overtravel. Theovertnavel would be so great that in many cases a relatively largenumber of additional chips would travel past the sensing stage andcollect on top or in back of the desired chip. Consequently, aback-tracking mechanism was required to back-track the additional chipsso as to isolate the desired chip for viewing or reproduction.Naturally, this comparatively slow isolation run was done at the expenseof the overall speed of the machine. Another limitation of these priorschemes is due to the fact that the chips were anchored; this made itdifiicult to extract a chip from the system. Still another limitation ofthese prior pneumatic-type data processing systems is that it wasimpossible to classify an existing file of the chips so as to obtain oneor more groups of selected chips. Still a further limitation of theseprior systems is that they could handle only a limited number of chips.

This is particularly true in the case of a rotating drum. Still afurther limitation of these prior systems is that they were not equallyadaptable to handling different kinds of data bearing entities.

As an answer to the problems attendant to the aforesaid prior artsystems, there has been invented a new pneumatic-type data processingsystem. This pneumatic-type data processing system is illustrated,described and claimed in the co-pending application of W. GordonWelchman, Serial No. 38,334, filed June 23, 1960, entitled DataProcessing Apparatus. This 'application is assigned to the assignee ofthe present application. The

Welchman system is free of the limitations and disadvantages attendantto data processing systems of the type described hereinabove, land ithas the additional advantage of permitting the data-bearing sheets to beisolated and 'viewed while still wholly within the system or at allowingthe individual data-bearing sheets to be extracted from the system forsubsequent utilization or reproduction of the recorded data. In theWelchman system the databearing entity may be in the form of sheets offilm, paper, metal, or plastic, with each sheet carrying recorded dataplus a code, magnetic or optical, for distinguishing it from likedata-bearing entities.

In the Welchrrran system a plurality of data-bearing sheets, such asfilm chips, are transported pneumatically in succession along a guiderail system, and means are provided for separating the sheets as theytravel along the guide rail system, whereby they may be individuallyscanned by a sensing unit in order to determine whether any of themcarries predetermined coded information. Means are actuated by thesensing system for segregating each sheet having the desired codedinformation. Preferably, each data-bear-ing sheet is provided with amagnetically recorded binary-type code along or adjacent to one edge anda sensing unit is provided for sensing or reading the code on each sheetas the sheet passes a given point. For coding purposes each sheet isprovided with a magnetically codable striping. Such stripings are wellknown to persons skilled in the art of recording. Preferably also thesensing unit is a multi-ch-annel reading head, although one singlechannel reading head may be employed for a limited code. Similarly it ispossible to use several single channel reading heads mounted in seriesbut disposed to read different channels.

In the Welohman system it is essential that means be provided forsegregating the data-bearing sheets so that they will proceed past thesensing head in single file fashion. Should two chips be stuck togetheror be so closely spaced as to appear as a single unit to the transducer,the transducer will read the codes of both chips simultaneously and, asa result, an erroneous output will be produced. Similarly, where thefilm chip is to be scanned by means of an optical system, the opticalsystem will provide an incorrect scanning or a result which is difficultto read due to the fact that it will read two chips at the same time andthe data on one chip will be confusing when viewed together with thedata on another chip.

Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention is to providemeans for separating and spacing successi've data-bearing sheets so thatthey may be pneumatically transported past a transducer at high speedsin single file fashion.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide adata-bearing sheet release mechanism which is adapted to interruptmovement of data-bearing sheets along a predetermined path and torelease the data-bearing sheets at successive, evenly spaced timeintervals so that they will travel along downstream of the releasemechanism in single file fashion.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood from the following detaileddescription and the accompanying drawings which show the invention asembodied in a data processing apparatus identical to the one illustratedand claimed in the aforementioned co-pending Welchman application SerialNo. 38,334. The accompanying drawings are described as follows:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a film chip designed for use in the dataprocessing apparatus hereinafter described;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a film chip mounted on the guiderail system of the data processing apparatus;

FIG. 2a is a schematic view illustrating how a film chip can negotiate aright angle turn in the guide rail system;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the data processing apparatus embodyingthe present invention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to part of FIG. 1,which illustrates how the film chips are fed toward the outlets of thetwin air duct systems;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing details of the slow and high speedbelt system;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view illustrating how tl e film chins are spacedfrom one another as they are transferred from the slow feed belts to thefast feed belts;

Fl". 7 is a schematic plan view illustrating how the spacing of the filmchips is changed as they pass from the slow feed belts to the fast feedbelts and from the fast feed belts into the air stream established bythe twin air duct systems;

FlG. 8 is a perspective view showing details of the film chip releasemechanism which embodies the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a side view in elevation illustrating how the film chips tendto accumulate at the release mechanism of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating the disposition of themagnetic read head relative to the guide rail system, and alsoillustrating details of construction of the guide rail assembly;

FIG. ll is a perspective view of a trap mechanism for stopping a filmchip at the projection system stage;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view illustrating the complete projectionsystem embodied in t e apparatus of FIG. 3;

H6. 13 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the mechanism forsupporting a trapped lilm chip so that the latter will be in position tobe projected;

1G. 14 is a perspective view oi the mechanical linkage associated withthe projecting system but mounted on the rear panel or" the machine;

PEG. 15 is a perspective view showing additional elements of theprojection system;

FIG. 16 is another perspective view showing still other elements of theprojection system;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view illustrating how the lens system may bemanually adjusted to obtain proper tocusing;

FIG. 18:: is a schematic view showing the relative positions of the lenssystem and the mirrors when the projection carriage is in its forward atrest position;

PEG. 18b is a view similar to FIG. 13a, but with the carriage in itsfirst intermediate position;

FIG. 18c is a View similar to FIG. 180, but with the carriage in itssecond intermediate position;

Fl. 19 is a perspective View of a third trap embodied in the device ofFEG. 1, plus means for directing film chips to a storage device;

FIG. 20 is a block diagram of the electrical system of the apparatus ofFIG. 3; and

FIG. 21 is a block diagram showing the components of the coincidencedetector circuit which is employed in the electrical system illustratedin FIG. 20.

in its general organization the data processing system to which thepresent invention relates, utilizes a rectangular data-bearing sheet 2which is provided with notches 4, 6, 8 and ill which are sized toaccommodate tour guide rails 12, 14, i6, and 18, respectively. The widthof the channel defined by the four rails, that is, the distance betweenrails 12 and 16, very closely approximates the width 26 of thedata-bearing sheet, the former being only slightly greater than thelatter. The width 20 is the distance between notches 4 and 3 or notches6 and it). However, the height of the four rail system, measured betweenrails 12 and 14 or rails 16 and 13, is substantially less than theheight 24 of the data-bearing chip, the height 24 being measured betweenthe notches i and 6 or the notches S and 15 Due to this dillerence inheight, the chip can fit on all four l rails simulfiance-usl only if itis made to assume an oblique or tilted position. This tilted position isindicated in pets, ective in FIGS. 2 and 4 and is also indicated inprofile in other figures, as, for example, FIGS. 6 and 0 Withdata-bearing sheets mounted on a four rail system as indicated in FIG.3, it is possible to transport or propel them at high speeds along therails using simply a stream of air generated from a suitable source ofair pressure. If a stream of air is directed at one side of adata-bearing sheet 2 when the latter is mounted on rails as illustratedin FIG. 2, the sheet will be moved, i.e., pushed, long the rails at ahigh speed. The weight of a typical data-bearing set and the frictionbetween the sheet the four rails when the data-bearing sheet is inmotion are both relatively small; as a result, a rela tively small airpressure gradient is required to be established along the rails in orderto transport the sheet from one point to another. It has been determinedthat the four rails need not be enclosed in a tube or similar containerso as to avoid leakage of air. Using an open four rails system asindicated in FIG. 3, velocities of an order of magnitude of to 700" persecond have been achieved with relatively small air pressure magnitudes.

It has also been determined that the it between the notches and therails is not critical. Preferably, however, there should be little playbetween the sheets and the rails.

It is to be noted also that a data-bearing sheet may be inclined withits top end leading its bottom end or with its top end trailing itsbottom end. This means that the data-bearing sheets may be propelledequally well in both directions.

An unusual feature of a four rail system for handling data-bearingsheets is that the data-bearing sheets can be made to turn aright-angled corner. The one require. ent is that the data-bearing sheetbe disposed so that its leading end traverses the corner on the outsiderails and its trailing end traverses the corner on the inside rails.Thus, if a sheet is traveling along four horizontal rails with its topend leading, the right angle turn must be down instead of up. in otherwords, the corner must be such that the top leading end of the sheetwill travel through a greater distance than its bottom end in roundingthe corner. The remarkable thing about this is that the data-bearingsheet reverses its angular position as it turns ti e corn-er. Thus,after the data-bearing sheet has rounded the corner, its top end will betrailing its bottom end. This is shown in FIG. 2a where the dotted linesin, 2b, 2c, and 2a illustrate successive positions of a sheet 2traveling in the direction indicated by the arrow.

A delightful result of this reversal is that a data-bearing s .eet canbe made to travel in the opposite direction if the original air streamis discontinued and a new oppotely flowing air stream is introduced. Thedata-bearing host will readily negotiate the corner in the oppositedirection since, thanks to the aforementioned reversal, its top end willbe leading its bottom end in the reverse path.

Obviously, if a data-bearing sheet can be made to turn a right-angledcorner, it can be made to turn other corners also.

01"" course, in order to sort or classify a plurality of data-bearingsheets, it is necessary that these sheets he provided withidentification means whereby they can be distinguished one from theother and further whereby an electrical signal output may be producedfor actuating means for permitting or accomplishing suitable utilizationof the data on the selected sheet. The encoded identifying informationmay be magnetic or optical. In the illustrated embodiment of theinvention the data-bearing sheets are film chips which have been severedfrom a roll of exposed photographic film having a ferric-oxide magneticstriping 359 (sec 1G. 2) on the base side of the film near one of itsedges. In this case the magnetic striping 30 is adjacent a longitudinaledge 32 which'is the edge which is nearest to the magnetic sensing headhereinafter referred to and described.

The properties of the striping 30 permit coding of each film chip 2 bytransverse magnetization of segments, each segment representing a singlebit of a code with the various patterns of magnetization being differentfor individual chips. It has been feasible to employ 16 mm. film severedinto lengths of approximately two inches. However, the width and lengthof the film chip is not critical. Thus, for example, 8 mm. film or 35mm. film may be used equally well. Similarly, the length of the filmchip may be larger or .smaller, depending upon the requirements of thesystem with which the film chip is intended to be used. With each chiphaving a plurality of bits of a code recorded therein, it is preferredto utilize a magnetic transducer sensing unit having a plurality ofreading heads per inch so as to permit a chip to have a large number ofcode bits recorded therein. A typical transducer sensing unit which hasbeen employed is one having fourteen reading heads per inch whichpermits a twoinch chip to have up to approximately twenty code bits.This yields 220 possible combinations, if a single ferricoxide stripe31) is used.

Although in the illustrated embodiment hereinafter de scribed only asingle multi-channel sensing unit is employed, it is a characteristic ofthe Welchman system that several sensing units may be used, thesesensing units being provided at various points along the guide railnetwork. Each sensing unit could be designed to read a specific numberof bits on each film chip. In this manner, the size of each sensing unitcould be reduced if the size was critical.

Turning now to FIG. 3, there is illustrated a machine embodying theprinciples described and illustrated in the aforementioned Welchmanpatent application Serial No. 38,334 and including the presentinvention. For simplicity of illustration, part of the opticalprojection system has been omitted from FIG. 3. However, other figuresillustrate all of the significant details of the projection system. Theoptical projection system forms no part of the present invention; nor isit necessary that a projection system be utilized or incorporated in amachine embodying the principles of the Welchman system. Thus, forexample, where film chips having the desired data are discovered insorting through a file, means may be provided for extracting the filmchips from the guide rail network for utilization outside of the system.Apparatus for extracting film chips from the guide rail network forutilization outside of the data processing system is illustrated,described, and claimed in the copending application of W. GordonWelchman and Heinz M. Zeutschel, Serial No. 58,114, filed September 23,1960, now Patent No. 3,042,199.

The machine illustrated in FIG. 3 comprises a flat, horizontalsupporting table 40 which carries all of the components of the machine,including the control and data processing circuitry illustrateddiagrammatically in FIGS. 20 and 21.

Mounted at one end of the table 40 is a pair of air blowers 42 and 44having revolving vanes 46 which are driven by a common fan motor M1. Thetwo fans 42 and 44 are connected in series with two ducts 5t) and 52,respectively, which curve inwardly at approximately the same point toform an air junction with a four rail system generally identified bynumeral 54. As illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4, 8, 10, and 19, the four railsystem consists of thin rails 12, 14, 16, and 18 which are supported byhorizontal members 56, 53 6t and 62 respectively. The latter are held infixed relation to each other by a plurality of upstanding posts 66 andhorizontal cross-members 68. It is to be noted that the rails 12, 14,16, and 18 extend inwardly from the supporting horizontal members 56,58, 6t and 62 by an amount sufficient so that the outside edges of thefilm chips will be spaced from the inside edges of members 56, 58, 60,and 62. In this way,

6 the structure supporting the four rails presents no obstacle to freemovement of the film chips along the rails.

Thetwo ducts 50 and 52 curve inwardly toward the four rails in such amanner that the air flowing along to their outside Walls 50a and 5211,respectively, enters the four rail system at an angle approximately 45to the axis thereof. On the other hand, air flowing along next to theinner walls 50b and 52]) (FIGS. 4 and 7), of the ducts enters the fourrail system at an angle approximately perpendicular to the axis of therail system. As a result, there is a slight back pressure created in thechannel defined by the four rails upstream of the duct outlets, whereason the downstream side of the duct outlets, the air streams from the twoducts produce a resultant air stream which is directed along the axis ofthe four rail system away from the fans. Due to the different angles atwhich air from the two ducts enters the four rail system, it appearsthat there is a definite change in air pressure and direction of airflow in the channel in the region of the outlets of the two ducts. Therapid change in pressure appears to be at approximately the midpoint ofthe two outlets. As a consequence, if film chips are advanced at aconstant rate along the rails from the direction of the fans towards theoutlet ends of the two ducts, they will continue to move at thisconstant speed until they reach approximately the midpoint of the twoduct outlets. At this point, the leading film chip will suddenly bepropelled forward due to the change in air pressure and direction of airflow. In effect, therefore, the noticeable change in air pressure anddirection of air flow occurring about halfway along the zone in thechannel between the two duct outlets functions to space the film chips.This spacing is similar to the spacing which results when particles aretransferred from a first conveyor traveling at a constant relatively lowspeed onto a second conveyor traveling at a constant relatively highspeed. The difference is in the speed at which the film chips arepropelled by the air stream. This speed is substantially in excess ofthe speed which are achievable with belts.

As seen in FIGS. 5, 6, and 7, and also to a limited extent in FIG. 4,the machine includes a pair of low speed belts 72 and 74 and a pair ofhigh speed belts 76 and 7 3. Belts 72 and 74 are mounted on a pulleysystem which is driven from a main motor M2.

The motor M2 has an output shaft 82 which is connected through anelectromagnetic clutch C1 to a main shaft 84 which carries two maindrive pulleys 86 and 88. Pulley 86 drives a belt 90 which, in turn,drives a pulley 92 mounted on a shaft 94. Shaft 94 drives two pulleys 96and 98 which drive belts 72 and 74. It is to be noted that belt 72travels in turn about drive pulley 96, a takeup pulley 111i), and twoguide pulleys 102 and 104. Similarly, belt 74 travels about drive pulley98, a take-up pulley 106, and two guide pulleys 168 and 110. The twotake-up pulleys 101] and 106 are mounted on a common shaft 114 which iscarried by an arm 116 that is mounted for pivoting on a shaft 118. Atension spring 1211 urges arm 116 in a direction to keep the take-uppulleys and 1136 in firm engagement with the belts 72 and '74 so as tosubstantially eliminate any slack in these belts.

The main drive pulley 88 drives a belt 124 which drives a shaft 126through a small pulley 127 that is mounted on the end of a shaft 126.Shaft 126 is coupled to an electromagnetic brake B1 Whose housing isstationary. Also mounted on shaft 128 are two drive pulleys 128 and 130over which ride the two belts 76 and 78, respectively. These belts alsoride in turn over a plurality of idler pulleys. Belt 76 rides on idlerpulleys 132, 134, 136, 138, and 141). Also, belt 76 rides on a take-uppulley 142. Belt 78 rides about the aforementioned pulley 130 and alsoover guide pulleys 144, 146, 148, 159, and 152. Belt 78 also rides overa second take-up pulley 154. The two take-up pulleys, 142 and d/ 154,are mounted on a common shaft which is attached to an arm 156 which ispivotally mounted at 158. A tension spring 169 acts on arm 156 tomaintain the two take-up pulleys 142 and 154 in tight engagement withthe belts 76 and 78, thereby to eliminate any slack in the latter.

The ratios between the pulleys of the two conveyor belt systems, e.g.,between pulleys 86 and 88, are such that when motor M2 is energized, thetwo belts 72 and '74 will be driven at a speed which is substantiallylower than the speed at which the two belts '75 and 78 are driven. It isto be noted that the two pairs of belts will be driven from the motor M2only so long as the clutch C1 is engaged. The clutch C1 is en aged onlywhen energized. At the same time it is to be noted that if the clutch isdisengaged, the belts will tend to continue traveling in the samedirection. However, if at the same moment that the clutch C1 isdisengaged, the brake B1 is engaged, the belts will be haltedimmediately so as to have little or no over-travel. Brake B1 is engagedonly when de-energized. Of course, clutch C1 and brake B1 are ofconventional construction and may be replaced by suitable equivalentclutching and braking devices.

FIG. 7 illustrates how the film chips are acted upon by the beltdelivery system and the air feed system. As seen in FIG. 7, the chipsare generally stacked close together. Although not shown in detail, itis to be understood that the chips are assembled in a removable magazineR having rails which will be in alignment with the rails l2, 14*, 16,and 18 when the magazine is in place.

In FIG. 7, numerals 12a and 16a designate sections of the top rails of aremovable magazine R. T he top rails 12a and 16a and the bottom rails(not shown) abut the adjacent ends of tracks 12].El as indicated at resand 162. Since the magazine will have an open bottom, the bottom edgesof the film chips contained therein will be exposed to and engaged bythe slow speed belts 72 and 74. Assuming (1) that a stack of closelypacked chips has been placed over the belts '72 and 74 by means of asuitable magazine, (2) that motor M2 is operating, and (3) that clutchCl is now engaged, the chips will be transported forward by belts 72 and'74 with little or no spacing occurring between them. However, as soonas the chips are transferred onto the belts 7d and 78, they immediatelybecome spaced apart. The degree of spacing is determined by theditlerence in relative speed between belts 76, 78 and belts '72, '74.Preferably, this initial spacing is of the order of an inch. However, itmay be more or less without departing from the principles of the presentinvention. This initial spacing is maintained by the chips as they enterthe region between the outlets of ducts t) and 52. In this connection,it is to be noted (as seen in FIG. 4) that the fast feed belts '76 and'73 extend into the region between the outlets of the two air ducts andterminate, i.e. reverse direction, approximately at the midpoint of theoutlets of the two ducts. Consequently, the chips will continueadvancing into the aforementioned region even though the air fiowadjacent to walls 501) and 52]) tends to establish a back pressure inthe upstream end of said region. The back ressure is not sufiicient todrive the chips backward in opposition to the drag exerted by belts '76and 78. The chips will retain their initial spacing until they reachapproximately the midpoint of the duct outlets, at which point there isa sharp change in pressure, as pointed out previously. As soon as thechips are subjected to this relatively high forward air pressure, theytake oil and literally zoom down the rails at speeds in the neighborhoodof 100 to 700 inches per second. in a typical installation this meantthat the chips were fed along at the rate or" 50 chips per second orapproximately 3,000 per minute.

The illustrated machine is designed to project the data recorded on aselected chip onto a suitable screen, such as the projection screen 166illustrated in FIG. 3. In the instant apparatus this is accomplishedwithout removing the selected film chip from the system. In order toproject this data onto the screen 165, it is necessary that some meansbe provided for halting the selected film chip in order that its datamay be projected. Furthermore, some means must be provided for stoppingall chips upstream of the selected chip until the selected chip data hasbeen projected and read or otherwise utilize Accordingly, reference isnow had to FIGS. 3, 8, and 9 in order to observe the present invention,which is a chip releasing mechanism generally indicated by the numeral17%. This mechanism comprises a pair of discs, a sheet separation disc174 and a sheet releasing disc 176, both of which are securely fastenedto a rotatable shaft 178 which is mounted above the four rails inparallel relation to the center line of the rectangular channel definedby these four rails. Sheet separation disc 174 is essentially four-sidedin configuration and comprises four equally spaced points 189. The edgeof sheet release disc 176 is so shaped as to provide four equally spacedsawtooth-shaped points 182 which are arranged in altcrnately occurringrelation with the sharp points 186 of the separation disc 1'74. It is tobe noted that the thickness of disc 17 i decreases progrcssivcly towardsits edge. At its edge the disc 174 has a very small thickness,comparable to a knife edge. Although not shown to be so, the sharppoints 182 of the release disc 176 may also have a gradually decreasingthickness, terminating at a knife edge. The direction of rotation ofdiscs 17 i and 1'75 is clockwise in FIG. 8.

In practice, the discs 174 and 176 are rotated at a speed sufficientlyhigh to pass chips as fast as they arrive. However, in the followingdescription of the mode of operation of the discs, it is assumed forconvenience of description that the discs are rotating at a much lowerspeed. Accordingly, film chips which have been transported from theinfeed section by the air stream will tend to accumulate against therelease disc 176. The top edge of the film chips, identified in FIG. 8by numeral 184,, resides at a level which is just above the level of thepoints and 132 of the two discs when in six oclock position. Thus, asthe film chins travel down the rails, they will tend to accumulate onthe upstream side of the discs. They are retained there by the airpressure gradient. Assume that at a given instant a first chip isleaning against a point 132 of disc 176. Since the points 182 of releasedisc 176 are the only parts of the disc which can engage the film chip,it follows that the first film chip is supported by the release disc foronly a limited time. This time is the time required for a point 182 ofthe release disc to travel below the top edge 184 of the first filmchip, continue through six ocloclt position, and then pass up againabove the top edge of the film chip. During this interval the nextsuccessive point 180 on the separation disc 174 slices between the firstchip leaning on the release disc 176 and tie second chip which isleaning on the first chip. Thus, when the point 1% of the second discmoves out from behind the first chip thereby releasing the first chip,the second chip will be held by the next successive point 180 on theseparation. disc 17%. The second chip will continue to be held by thispoint so long as this point is behind the second chip, and when thispoint moves out from behind the second chip, it will be followedimmediately by the next occurring point 182 of the second disc. Thelatter point will then support the second chip, which is now in theposition occupied by the first chip previously released. This secondchip will then be held by said next successive point 132 until thatpoint has moved out from behind it. As each chip is released by disc176, it will immediately zoom down the rails under the influence of theair pressure gradient. It has been determined in practice that this chiprelease mechanism is capable of very reliable and fast operation in therange of 25 to chips per second, without any appreciable wear on thechips.

Shaft 178 is driven by a system now to be described. As seen in FIG. 8,shaft 168 carries a pulley 188 which

1. IN A DATA PROCESSING APPARATUS HAVING A PLURALITY OF GUIDE MEANS FORSLIDABLY SUPPORTING A PLURALITY OF CODED LIKE SHEETS EACH ADAPTED TOCONTAIN SELECTED DATA, AND MEANS FOR ESTABLISHING A FLUID PRESSUREGRADIENT ALONG A CHANNEL DEFINED BY SAID GUIDE MEANS WHEREBY SAID SHEETSWILL BE DISPLACED ALONG SAID CHANNEL IN A DIRECTION DETERMINED BY SAIDGRADIENT, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: FEEDING MEANS ADJACENT SAID GUIDEMEANS FOR INTRODUCING SAID SHEETS INTO SAID GRADIENT FOR DISPLACEMENTALONG SAID CHANNEL, SENSING MEANS DISPOSED DOWNSTREAM OF SAID FEEDINGMEANS CONTIGUOUS TO SAID CHANNEL FOR SENSING CODE ON SAID DATA SHEETS,MEANS DISPOSED AT A PREDETERMINED POINT BETWEEN SAID FEEDING MEANS ANDSENSING MEANS ALONG SAID CHANNEL FOR SUBSTANTIALLY SYNCHRONOUSLYINTERRUPTING AND RELEASING SAID SHEETS TO FLOW SINGLY PAST SAID SENSINGMEANS.